Monday, December 7, 2009

RNR Las Vegas, Team Challenge, and Marathon #82

Kansas City's Team Challenge went to Vegas and everyone on the team completed their 1/2 marathon and had a great time. The pasta party was great, the food was excellent,and the inspirational speaker did her job by making hundreds of people cry. We hit the sack early for the early morning meet up at 4:45 am. The team posed for some pre race pictures and headed to the start. Congrats to everyone....you raised a lot of money and put in a lot of hard work and training!While I was at the prerace party, Kim headed off to see The Lion King with our roomie, Amanda.

Pasta Party pix.....

The race started at the Mandalay Bay at 6:15 with temps probably in the low 30's. The start was very well done with a continual fireworks display, caged tigers, and the atmosphere and the lights of the strip. The 1/2 marathon is run entirely on the strip (though some of it is on the extreme ends of Las Vegas Blvd and there is not a lot there) with the full marathon peeling off at about the 10.5 mile mark. The full runs along some streets with some nice mountain views and then comes back into the finish at Mandalay Bay. It was a nice race, except for miles 12-19, due to a bad reaction to Tri-Berry GU! I saw Kim on an out an back late in the race and she was doing well (no Achilles issues) so once I knew she was going to get her 12 marathon goal accomplished, I sped up and finished strong. I waited around and presented her medal as she finished. We then did the same for Karen as she finished. We then cleaned up and met with some of our now Team Challenge alumni to celebrate Kim's birthday, her 12 marathons in 12 months, and some first time 1/2 marathoners.